Orphaned Shadowhunters Or Guilty Murderers?
by fishfingersandcustardplease
Summary: The Mortal Instruments fanfic. Sorry, guys, but in this world, Clace doesn't exist. But Jace's love interest is pretty entertaining,. This story is not entirely mine; I wrote parts of it and my parabatai Chloe wrote the other parts. We own none of the characters or places you may recognize from TMI.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Aubree-Ana wiped a lock of sweaty hair from her face and sent a blow straight at her opponent's side. He countered with a shot that should have taken off her arm had she not deflected his blade just in time. She flung her sword from below, straight at his heart. He grunted in frustration, and her face burned. No one was winning.

"This is boring," Isabelle said from across the room, "No one's winning."

Without having to say anything, both Jace and Aubree-Ana put their swords down. She shook her head. "It's not our fault we're such equal partners."

"Yes, it is," Jace argued, "Stop deflecting everything!" He wasn't used to losing, especially not when it made him look bad.

"That's the whole point; I'm trying to come out of the fight with all of my limbs still attached and minimal bleeding!" Aubree- Ana replied.

Alec rolled his eyes. "It's because you barely have anyone else to fight with. After a while of fighting the same person, you know what they're going to do."

"Then how come no one wins?" Aubree-Ana sighed. "I'm tired, anyway." All of a sudden, Lynette burst through the doors. Aubree- Ana spun around and glared at her. "Where the heck have you been?" Lynette mumbled something no one could hear. "What?"

"I said 'I was at the nail salon'," Lynette admitted. She held up her deep purple nails as proof.

Isabelle frowned. "I think you should have gone with red."

"When she's fighting a demon is it going to matter what color her nails are?" bellowed Alec. He then turned to Lynette, who was trying hard not to laugh at his anger. She always thought it was quite hilarious when Alec got mad. "You need to start taking training seriously. I know this is all a big change, but you need to accept that you're a Shadowhunter, and move on with your life. I'm sorry your parents abandoned you and you weren't able to experience what we have, but we can help with that."

A look of hurt swept across Lynette's face. No one ever brought up her parents. Ever. They knew not to, because of all the emotional distress it put Lynette into.

Isabelle hit her brother on the shoulder. "Alec! Don't talk about it," she whispered. But it was too late. Lynette darted from the room with incredible speed. "See what you did?" Isabelle went after her.

Wandering down the halls of the Institute, Lynette searched for her room, hoping she'd find it before someone found her. When she did find it, she slammed the door shut, sunk to the floor, and silently cried.

Back in the weapons room, Aubree-Ana was angry. She took a menacing step toward Alec, but Jace held her back. "As much as I would love to see some excitement, it's not the time for that."

Aubree-Ana sucked in a breath. "You are such a jerk, Alec! What's next, you're gonna bring up my dysfunctional family?!" With that, she flung open the door and began looking for Isabelle. She found her in front of Lynette's bedroom, knocking lightly. "She won't let you in?" she asked.

Isabelle shook her head. "I'm going back into the weapons room. If you hear screaming, it's just me and Alec." She walked off.

"Lynette, can you let me in?" As soon as she uttered those words, a door down the hallway burst open. Maryse practically ran over to her, a look of concern on her face. "Aubree-Ana, can you gather everyone? We need to have a meeting." Aubree-Ana was worried, but she did as she was told. Lynette, after some struggling, finally came out of her room, eyes red and puffy. They then went to the weapons room and brought Jace, Isabelle, and Alec with them into the library. Hodge and Mr. and Mrs. Lightwood were already gathered there.

"Everyone take a seat," Maryse instructed. All of them found seats. "I just received an urgent message..." Her eyes scanned the room reading everyone's worried expressions. "Most of the Clave members have been murdered." The silence of shock filled the room. No one knew what to say.

Lynette looked up from braiding her hair. She knew this was bad, but she didn't know what it exactly meant. Fearful of looking stupid, she decided not to ask. Instead she asked, "So what are we going to do about it?"

Maryse sighed. "Well, we're going to have to go to Idris." Lynette's eyes widened. Jace had always told her how beautiful Idris was, and she had only dreamed of going there. Now was her chance to see what she'd been missing.

"When are we leaving?" asked Jace.

Maryse's husband Robert spoke next. "Tomorrow evening is probably the best departure time. Now all of you need to get some rest. We have a very busy day tomorrow." And with that, they were all dismissed.

Aubree-Ana and Lynette walked back to Aubree-Ana's room together. "I can't believe Alec; the way he was acting earlier was unbelievable. Really unnecessary and uncalled for too," said Aubree-Ana.

Lynette looked down to the floor. "Please just stop talking about it."

The tone of Lynette's voice made Aubree-Ana wince. "Sorry. So, are you excited to go to Idris?"

Lynette nodded her head. The girls sat crossed-legged on the carpeted floor. There was silence, so Aubree-Ana leaned over to look Lynette straight in the eyes. "I understand, y'know," she said. "About your family. It happened to me, too."

Lynette's eyes widened. "Really?"

Aubree-Ana nodded. "When I was just a baby, my father killed himself. No one but my mother knows why, and she's hated me since the day she laid eyes on me. So she left me here at the Institute, and I grew up with Jace and the Lightwoods." Her eyes filled with tears, and she looked away quickly.

"I would say sorry, but I know it doesn't help," Lynette whispered. "But it is good to know someone else understands."

"So what happened to you?" Aubree-Ana asked, meeting her eyes.

Lynette hesitated before opening her mouth to reply. "When I was born, my parents, both Shadowhunters, agreed that their way of life was too dangerous for me to go through, so they decided to raise me as a mundane. I had a great life. Only the best of schools, vocal lessons and performances with the New York Metropolitan Opera, amazing friends. Everything I ever wanted." Lynette tried swallowed the lump in her throat. No, she couldn't cry right now. Her voice was shaky as she continued. "I came home one night, and saw this, this creature. I screamed for my parents, who came and...killed it. Then it disappeared. I asked a million questions, I don't even remember half of them, and Mom and Dad finally told me the truth. They told me I was a Shadowhunter, and that they were only trying to protect me. But they said that I had so many questions that it probably were better someone else answer them, so they just...dropped me off here. They left, and I didn't know what to do, so I walked inside. The first person I saw was Alec. At first he was defensive at the fact that I was a stranger, but I told him my story, and he believed me. So here I am." Lynette couldn't hold in her flow of tears anymore, so she finally started bawling.

"Awe, that's terrible. But it's going to be okay, Lynette. We have each other and the Lightwoods and Jace. And even though they might not understand completely, they're still here if you need them." Aubree-Ana smiled at Lynette, who couldn't help smiling back. The door suddenly opened. Jace stepped in, and his eyes widened a little.

"Am I interrupting something?" His words were kind, but his tone was, as always, teasing and a bit conceited.

Aubree-Ana reached up to wipe her teary eyes. "Well you know how to change up an emotional situation, huh?"

"That's what I do." Jace's smile flashed.

"So what are you doing in here?" Lynette asked.

"We have to wake up early tomorrow to pack and leave, so Maryse says to get to bed. Like, now."

"Are you always so commanding?" Lynette rolled her eyes. Jace and Aubree-Ana laughed at the same time. "Goodnight," the girls chorused, and Jace replied with the same.

"Now get out of my room, shoo," Aubree-Ana told him, pushing him out the door. Hugging Lynette goodnight, she shut the door behind them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The next morning, the door to Lynette's room slammed open. "What's wrong?" asked Isabelle. Lynette shook her head, confused.

"Nothing," she replied.

"Are you sure? We all heard you screaming." Isabelle turned her head to the hallway and yelled, "Right, Jace?"

"Right," he yelled back. Izzy turned back to Lynette, who was wide-eyed.

"I must have had a nightmare. But I...I don't remember anything. At all."

Isabelle sighed. "Well, if you need anything, I'll be packing. You might as well start, too." With that, she left the room.

Lynette quickly packed the small amount of clothes she owned into a suitcase and walked out into the hallway. Alec, Jace, and Aubree-Ana were leaning against the wall with their bags. When she walked up, all three of them looked up, knitting their eyebrows together. "What were you dreaming-" Jace began to ask.

Aubree-Ana held up her hand. "Don't," she said. He glared, starting to speak again. "Jace," Aubree-Ana snapped, "Shut up."

Lynette smiled softly, whispering a quick "Thanks." They all jumped as the door to the library suddenly flung open. A greenish-red glow danced brightly on the wall. Alec led the group into the room, where an angry fire was burning in the fireplace. A letter was lying on the floor in front of it. Jace picked it up and slid his finger under the label to open the envelope. His eyes widened as he read the paper, and then held it out. Aubree-Ana snapped it up, Alec reading over her shoulder. They both gasped in alarm. "What?" Lynette wondered. Alec held it out to her. It read:

The two girls in your possession did not end up there by mistake. Something is wrong. When you come to Alicante, we need to immediately see them at the Gard. Do not entrust them with too much information, only what they need to know. Are you sure you have no idea who their parents are? - W

She looked up at Aubree-Ana. Both their faces are filled with confusion and worry.

"What does this mean?" Isabelle was the first to speak.

Jace shook his head, his voice grim. "Isn't it obvious? The Clave is wary of Lynette and Aubree-Ana. Their parents must have been involved in something." He met eyes with Aubree-Ana. "Is there something you need to tell us?"

She turned pinkish-red with anger. "I'm not associated with my parents."

"That doesn't mean you mother isn't up to something. And what about your father? He killed himself. Maybe because of guilt? He couldn't live with something he had done."

Aubree-Ana gasped, clenching her hands into fists.

"She doesn't know what her parents did or who they were, Jace, but it doesn't matter," Isabelle broke in quickly, "Aubree-Ana isn't the same type of person her parents are."

"And just how do you know?" Jace's eyes were a mix of emotions: anger, sadness, fear, and confusion. He spun to face Lynette. "And you. We don't know anything about you. At all. Your story about your parents abandoning you could entirely make up, and we'd have no idea." Tears filled Lynette's eyes, and she turned away from his menacing glare. "And-"

"That's enough, Jace." Lynette looked back to see Alec defending her. "The Clave is probably just paranoid with all of the murders, and... everyone's just on edge. But we can't jump to conclusions and start turning on each other."

Suddenly, the door burst open and in walked Robert Lightwood. His facial expression was that of worry and exhaustion, as if he needed a nice nap to lighten his mood. Startled, he jumped. "Children, what are you doing in here?"

"We, uh…" Alec bit his lip. "We saw a strange light and wanted to know what was going on." The moment he said that, the letter slipped from Jace's hand and hit the floor. It landed face up, where the envelope was re-sealed, looking completely untouched.

Robert's eyebrows shot up. "A letter?" He reached down to pick it up, and then met all of their eyes suspiciously. "Did any of you open the letter?"

"No," Isabelle lied, "We were just about to go find you when you walked in. We've only been in here for a minute."

"Alright. Well back out in the hallway, please." He ushered them through the door. "Oh, and Alec? Go get your mother for me."

Alec nodded and headed down the hall. The rest of them gathered in a clump in the hallway again. Isabelle let out a big breath as soon as the door to the library was shut. "Thank goodness I can think on my feet. We would have been in so much trouble."

Jace rolled his eyes. "Oh please." He glanced at Aubree-Ana and Lynette, and then turned back to Isabelle. "Izzy, can I talk to you for a second?" Isabelle nodded. They walked down the hallway, opened a door, and then shut it.

Aubree-Ana pulled Lynette's arm. "Come on, let's see what they're saying," she whispered. They tiptoed down the hall and stopped at the door that Jace and Isabelle had previously walked into. Lynette leaned against the door and tried to distinguish what they were saying. She caught Isabelle in mid-sentence.

"….Aubree-Ana for years. There's no way she could be up to anything. Lynette would be the one to worry about, though I doubt she could have done anything. Either she's telling the truth, or she's the greatest actress I've ever seen."

Lynette's face turned beet red and she clenched her fists.

"Lynette," Aubree-Ana whispered. "Don't-" But she was too late. Lynette slammed the door open. Isabelle and Jace jumped, startled.

"You really think I'd lie about my parents abandoning me?" Lynette yelled so that probably all of New York could hear. "What kind of sick person would do that? And just for the record, don't talk about me behind my back. Ever." Her hands still in fists, she turned to walk away. But then she fell to the floor.

In the time span of about a second, Jace was across the room to where Lynette lay. Aubree-Ana pushed him away. "Back off! Haven't you done enough?" She looked down at Lynette, who had fallen unconscious.

"She's still breathing. She'll be okay. Can someone try to wake her up?" asked Isabelle. "Aubree-Ana, what kind of stuff wakes her up?"

Aubree-Ana thought hard. "This is kind of weird, but if someone sings to her while she's awake and tired, she'll fall asleep, but if they sing while she's asleep, she'll wake up. But what do we sing?"

"I know! I've heard her sing this song, and she's taught me the words. It's in Gaelic. Um, how does it start...?" Jace was deep in concentration as he tried to remember. Finally, it hit him. In a most soothing voice, he sang, "A 'níon mhín ó, sin anall na fir shúlrí. A máhaithairin mhín ó, cuer na roithleán go tdí mé. Dúlamán na binne buí dúlamán Gaelach. Dúlamán na farraige b'fhearr bhí in Éirinn."

Lynette started to stir. Then she sat up. She looked at Jace, knowing that he had sang her awake, and replied in song, "Tá ceann buí óir ar an dúlamán Gaelach." They both smiled. "Sorry guys. Ever since I was little, if I got really mad, I'd faint. Which, I just did."

"No need to apologize. I shouldn't have doubted you, Lynette. It was just, the letter, and I've only known you a couple months, and it's just all been kinda crazy lately." He looked down at her with a small smile.

Regaining her balance, Lynette stood up. "Yeah. It has been." Lynette sighed.

"It's alright now, though, right?" Alec chimed in. "No more blaming each other and freaking out and fainting and all that? We're all on the same side?"

It was Jace who spoke up. "Always," he whispered, smiling. The rest of them soon mirrored his look, and then they headed out into the hallway. After a few minutes, Robert and Maryse told them everything was in order for them to leave.

"Magnus should be here any minute, I hope-" Maryse began.

"Who's Magnus?" Lynette interrupted her.

"A warlock. He's going to create a portal so we can get to Idris." With that, she took them all outside onto the lawn beside the Institute. A strange man was waiting for them, dressed in rainbow pants and a shiny top. His hair was spiky, and the blue sparks flying from his hands didn't look out of place from the rest of him. He reached out and pulled open a portal.

"Magnus, thank you," Robert said, "And you will be here to close the portal once we all pass through, right?" Magnus nodded his head, and Alec frowned. "You mean he's not coming?" he asked.

"Not this time," said Magnus. "But I'll be here when you get back, honey." He smiled, and Alec returned it.

Lynette gasped. "Wait, Alec, you're-" She felt a firm hand cover her mouth before she could finish. She looked behind to see Jace.

"Now, now, I don't think it's appropriate to go around labeling people," he said. He then lowered his voice to a whisper so only Lynette could hear. "But yes, he is." Jace still hadn't taken his hand off of her mouth, and Lynette couldn't talk, so as her way of saying "Get off", she licked his hand. He instantly let go, and made a noise of disgust. "Honestly, Lynette?! My God, that's disgusting!" Lynette burst out laughing.

"I've never seen her laugh so hard," Aubree-Ana remarked. "What'd she do?"

"She licked my hand!"

"Well, you should've let go earlier," Lynette argued. "That's just my little way of saying 'Alright, let go now', anytime anyone does that, just for the record."

"Children! Stop fooling around! Magnus is about to create the portal," Robert told them. "Think of Idris."

"But how can I think of Idris if I've never been there?" asked Lynette.

Maryse glared at her. "Just think of something like it, then. And hold tight to each other's hands. Maybe we'll end up in the same place." She grabbed her husband's hand. Robert took Isabelle's hand, she reached for Jace's, and so on until all of them had their hands together. Lynette and Aubree-Ana shared a look, butterflies tingling in their stomachs, and thought of the most beautiful place either of them could imagine. Alec, who was holding Lynette's hand, pulled her forward. All of them stepped into the portal.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Aubree-Ana, Lynette, and Isabelle all let out shrieking screams as they rode through the portal. It was as if they were falling, and sometime during their fall Aubree-Ana lost her grip on Lynette's hand. But Jace held tight to her. When they finally hit the ground, Lynette tumbled on top of the two of them. Alec squashed Isabelle's legs and she screeched. Maryse and Robert where the only two to land perfectly on their feet.

"Someone didn't do something right." Robert narrowed his eyes at Lynette. "What place were you thinking of?"

"My childhood home. It's the only other place I know," she replied sheepishly.

"I haven't ever been to Idris, either, Mr. Lightwood," Aubree-Ana chimed in, "I thought of the home my parents lived in."

"At least that was in Idris."

"We think."

Maryse threw her hands into the air. "It doesn't matter now. Come along; we have much to do." She motioned for her family to follow her.

After walking for a while, the group reached a lake. "Alright, good. This means we're pretty close. Everyone, we're going to take a short break before we continue on to Alicante." Everyone blew sighs of relief and most of them plopped down on the ground. Lynette was very hot by now, and started walking towards the lake in hopes of cooling herself down. She was about to place her foot in when a sharp force pulled her back.

"Are you stupid?!" Jace yelled at her. "That's Lake Lyn! That lake kills Shadowhunters! What did you think you were doing?" Lynette turned to face him.

"I, I didn't know! I'm sorry!" Lynette tried to hold back the flow of tears that so frequently came whenever someone shouted at her.

Jace sighed. "That's it, you're not leaving my sight," he said.

"What? Why?" Lynette whined.

"Because you are too inexperienced as being a Shadowhunter, and I have a feeling that this won't be the only time during our visit that you almost get yourself killed," he said, and they both started walking back to the group.

"That's not fair! It's not my fault I didn't know, no one told me about the lake! Ugh! You're gonna make me feel like a little kid," Lynette complained.

"That's because compared to me, you are a little kid."

"By like what, 2, 3 years? Jace, this isn't fair!"

"What isn't fair?" asked Aubree-Ana. Jace and Lynette had gotten back to the group.

"She's just mad because I basically saved her life and now I'm keeping my eye on her so I don't have to do it again," answered Jace.

"Why did you have to save her life?" asked Alec.

Jace looked at Lynette with a smirk on his face. "Would you like to explain that part?"

Lynette glared at him and sighed. "I almost went into the lake over there," she said, nodding her head in the direction of it. Everyone gasped.

"Why would you do such a thing?" bellowed Robert.

"Come on, Robert, don't be angry with her. She's already taken a lot of rage from me. I won't let her do anything stupid again," Jace assured him. Lynette gave him a dirty look, but he smiled at her, which caused her to mirror his action. Maryse then announced that they needed to leave.

The group walked for a few hours until they finally reached Alicante.

Lynette and Aubree-Ana gasped as they passed through the streets. The place was beautiful, more spectacular than either of them had imagined. Jace and Alec rolled their eyes as Isabelle started telling them about the different places as they passed them.

"Hurry along, hurry along," Maryse called behind her shoulder. The children scrambled to keep up with her fast pace. They reached the Gard in record time.

"Tell me again what this is?" Lynette asked, looking up at the huge building looming in front of them.

Alec quietly explained what the building was as they made their way inside. Robert shushed him, and they followed behind the adults silently. They made their way into a huge room filled with older, intelligent-looking Shadowhunters as grouped together in a clump. A short, heavy-set man with a shaved head looked over at them. A smile spread across his face.

"Look, our visitors are here!" he said. "Welcome, Lightwoods and friends."

Robert and Maryse lead them into the room. Aubree-Ana grabs for the wrist of the first person she can reach, which happens to be Lynette. They meet eyes, and Lynette digs her nails into her friend's arm in fear.

"These must be your houseguests, am I right?"

"Yes, Inquisitor," Maryse replied, "Aubree-Ana and Lynette."

"Well, welcome to Idris! Step up over here, c'mon." He motioned for them to join him where he is standing. They go to him. "Which of you would like to talk first?"

Neither of them said anything, so he just laughed and took Aubree-Ana's arm. "How about you go first, miss?"

She nodded feebly and stepped up. "What am I supposed to do… sir?"

"Just talk to me, to us." The Inquisitor takes a seat. "What is your name?"

"Aubree-Ana."

"Aubree-Ana who?"

The girl shook her head. "I don't know, sir. Lightwood, I guess."

"But the Lightwoods aren't your parents."

"Not by blood. They did raise me, though."

"Well what happened to your parents?"

"My father committed suicide and my mother sent me to the Institute when I was just a baby."

The Inquisitor shook his head. "I do not think that has ever happened around here. And they did live in Idris, didn't they?"

Aubree-Ana shrugged, but Maryse replied, "They most likely did, sir."

"Then who are you, Miss Aubree-Ana?"

"I… I don't know, sir."

He shook his head. "Enough said, girl, I will come back to you." His eyes landed on Lynette, who took Aubree-Ana's place as she stepped back.

"What is your name again?"

"Lynette," the girl replied.

"Lynette who?"

"Newman."

The man raised his eyebrows. "Not a last name I recognize."

Robert stepped up. "We believe her parents have used a false name for her and themselves to keep her immersed in the mundane world, sir. So it is most likely something else."

"But let me guess, she doesn't know either?" The man shook his head. "Something is suspicious here, girls. Robert, are you sure they know nothing?"

"Aubree-Ana has been with my family since she was 7 months old. I assure you, she would have told me anything she knew." He tilted his head toward Lynette. "Lynette is a new arrival, but she tells me she doesn't know anything. We can't be entirely sure that is true, sir, but she has told us nothing about who she is."

"Lynette would never lie about not knowing," Aubree-Ana spoke up, "Her parents shielded everything from her, and then they sent her away! My parents did the very same thing!" She gazed pleadingly at the Inquisitor, who she feared would do them harm. "We really don't know anything."

The Inquisitor sighed. "I'm feeling generous. You are dismissed for today, but you will be back here tomorrow at 3:00 in the afternoon for another meeting. You will not leave Idris until we figure out who you are. Goodbye." He waved a hand at them and they left the building. Outside, Lynette stared off into the distance with a blank expression. She couldn't get over the Inquisitor's suspicion of her and Aubree-Ana. It frightened her.

"Lynette!" Aubree-Ana's voice brought her back into reality. "Are you alright?" Lynette just stared at her. "Lynette? Answer me, please," she pleaded. Lynette turned and looked at the faces of everyone else in the group, who were watching her intently.

"Stop staring at me!" she finally screamed and took off running. Everyone watched in disbelief.

"Wow, she really has a tendency to run away, doesn't she?" Jace commented.

Filled with anger, Aubree-Ana shoved him. "It's not funny, Jace!" she yelled in his face.

"I never said it was funny!" he yelled back.

"Then why do you always have to make a stupid sarcastic comment about everything?"

"I don't!"

"Yes you do!" Aubree-Ana went after Lynette, who had disappeared from sight.

Jace turned to Isabelle. "Will you-" he started.

"No, you need to go. For some reason, I think Lynette really trusts you. Aside from Aubree-Ana, you're the one she talks to the most." He just looked at her. "Well, go on!" She gestured for him to go. And he did.

Lynette had no idea where in the world she was going. When she got far enough away from the group that she didn't feel the need to run anymore, she walked. As she walked, she gazed in awe at the pure beauty of Idris. She eventually grew tired of walking, and found a conveniently-placed bench to sit down on. She did so, and placed her head in her hands, trying to calm her mind.

Aubree-Ana searched desperately for Lynette. Like her, Aubree-Ana didn't know how to navigate Idris. Not that it would have been helpful, as she didn't know where Lynette even was. Frustrated, she kicked the sidewalk. Then, as if on cue, rain began to pour.

"Are you kidding me?!" Aubree-Ana shouted to the sky. She let out a groan of annoyance and continued to search for her best friend.

Jace knew Lynette couldn't have gotten too far away. First of all, in his two months of knowing her, he had learned that she pretty much hated running and anything to do with it. He also knew that she was very cautious when it came to being in places she wasn't familiar with. He laughed at the memory of when Lynette first came to the Institute and how she was always afraid to touch things. As he was walking, he suddenly became drenched. Rain was coming down in buckets. He hoped he would find Lynette soon.

Up ahead, he saw a girl on a bench, her bent down, golden blonde ringlets draped over her head and shoulders. He called her name. She looked up. Very quickly, she stood up and ran towards him, slamming into him.

"Jace," she looked up into his golden eyes, "Why does everyone hate me?" she asked him, sobbing. Then she looked away, embarrassed, but with a steady flow of tears still coming from her eyes.

"They don't hate you," he said, "I promise. They don't hate you. Come on, Lynette; you're overreacting. It's not that bad."

Lynette looked back at his face to see him, smiling. She still couldn't bring herself to do the same. Jace took his two index fingers and pushed the corners of her mouth upward to make her smile. "Come on, smile. You know you want to." Lynette laughed. "There ya go."

"I cry too much in front of you," she mumbled, "I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize. It doesn't bother me." When he finished speaking, they both heard someone call Lynette's name.

A few yards away, Aubree-Ana picked up her pace and jogged towards them. She glared at Jace. "Why are you here?" she asked.

Jace rolled his eyes. "Because I'm a nice person. Why are you here?"

"Oh, you know, just looking out for my best friend to make sure she was okay after that traumatic experience at the Gard, which you really didn't seem to care too much about," she said with an attitude.

Jace took a step towards her. "And what makes you think I didn't care?" he asked, his voice rising.

Lynette stepped in between them, her arms spread out as to hold them back from going at each other.

"Because you don't ever care about anything!" Aubree-Ana said accusingly.

"Whoa, guys. Chill out," Lynette said. She felt the energy in the air get less tense. "Who left the group last?" Jace told her it was him. "Okay, where are they?"

"When I left, they were still outside, but I have a feeling they went to where we plan on staying," he replied.

"Which is?" Aubree-Ana asked.

"The Greystone's. They're a Lightwood family friend."

"Did you guys make ever decision without us?" said Lynette.

"Well, I wasn't in my room all night gossiping about cute boys, so I was actually informed on what is going on," he replied with a mischievous smile.

Lynette glared at him. "First of all, that is so not what we were doing! Second, do you know where that is? Because we're soaked, and I'm tired," she complained.

"Awe, you poor baby," Jace sarcastically said. "Yes, I know where that is. Just follow me." The girls did as instructed, and they were at the house in no time.

Lynette gazed in awe at how enormous the house was. "Oh my gosh, look how huge and beautiful it is, Aubree-Ana," she whispered.

"I know," replied Aubree-Ana.

"Oh please," said Jace. They walked inside to see the Lightwoods, and a man and woman around Maryse and Robert's age. On the opposite wall, a large fireplace boasted a glowing fire of dancing flames.

Maryse stood up. "There you are," she said, relieved, "Where on earth have you been?"

"Oh, you know." Jace glanced at Lynette. "Looking for this little one." He playfully messed up her hair.

She hit him in the arm. "I'm not little," she muttered.

"Well, it's no matter," said Maryse. She walked over to the girls and pulled them forward. "Korinna and Dacian, this is Aubree-Ana." Aubree-Ana gave a small wave. "And this is Lynette." Lynette said hello.

"Ah, yes. We've heard so much about you both," said the woman, Korinna. She had a very warm smile as she and Dacian stood up to shake their hands. "So nice to finally meet you."

"Likewise," said Lynette. Aubree-Ana looked at her and stifled a laugh. "What? I thought it'd make a better impression if I used old-fashioned words," she whispered.

"Isabelle, can you show them to their room?" asked Maryse. Isabelle silently go up, and gestured for the girls to follow her. When they reached the room, Isabelle opened the door. "Well, here we are. You two get cleaned up; we're going out tonight," she informed them.

"But I didn't pack anything nice to wear," Lynette protested.

Isabelle flashed a smile. "That's why I'm here," she said in a sing-song voice. She then left Aubree-Ana and Lynette so they could shower. The girls decided together that Aubree-Ana would go first. She walked across the hall and shut the door. Lynette sat on her bed and, out of boredom, began to sing.

"What are you singing?" asked Jace.

Lynette gasped and looked up at the doorway. "Oh my gosh, you scared me. And I wasn't singing anything you'd know," she answered.

"I asked you what you were singing," he said forcefully.

"Pushy much? I was just singing 'Haunted' by Taylor Swift." Jace gave her a puzzled look. "See, I told you!"

He entered the room and leaned against the wall. "You're okay, right?" he asked. "From earlier, I mean."

Lynette sighed. She didn't know if she was or not. "I guess so. Why do you care so much?" she wondered.

Jace shrugged. "That's a bit of an odd question, Lynette," he remarked. Lynette apologized. "It's fine. I guess I'll go now. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." He turned to leave, but Lynette spoke up.

"Jace." He turned around. "Do they have ice cream in Idris?" she asked.

He laughed. "Yes, they have ice cream in Idris. Why?"

"Just wondering. Before we leave, can you take me to get some?" she asked.

He looked at her for a few seconds. Then he smiled. "Yes, I'll take you to get ice cream. He then turned and walked away. Lynette listened to the thud of his shoes as he made his descent downstairs. When she was absolutely positive there was no way he could possibly hear her, she whispered, "Awesome."


End file.
